This week Tracy welcomes Denese Marshall to Episode #132 of ADHD for Smart Ass Women where the conversations will be all about ADHD and trauma. Denese Marshall, MA, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor, and a Nationally Board Certified Counselor. She has a BA in Psychology, a BA in Criminology and a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Denese works with adolescents and adults facing addiction, trauma and OCD. She is passionate about the acceptance of differences and has authored a bullying prevention book to teach children ages 4-7 to accept differences and exercise acts of kindness. She has worked with clients with a criminal background to assist in both rehabilitative/reintegration following incarceration, as well as helping clients with addiction to prepare for incarceration. Denese believes that our past or life choices influence our behavior, but they do not define who we are. She helps clients find meaning in their experiences and develop a sense of peace that comes from making sense of our experiences. Denese has two teenage children, a private practice in Connecticut and she speaks regularly on trauma and finding the value and meaning of life challenges. Denese shares: The circumstances surrounding her own ADHD diagnosis What has changed since she was diagnosed? Her definition of trauma How to distinguish between trauma and ADHD The symptoms of trauma Why it’s important to address trauma before working on ADHD executive function issues What happens to the traumatized brain when there is discomfort? What works to address trauma? What happens when trauma is not addressed? How to find ADHD professionals who are expert in both trauma and ADHD Resources: https://www.denesemarshall.com